GENERAL    JOHN    P,    FREMONT, 

GOVERNOR    OF    ARIZONA    TERRITORY, 

UPON  THL  CEPTION   BY  HIS  ASSOCIATES  OF 


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AT  THEIR  HEADQUARTERS, 


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NEW    YORK, 


,  August 


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OF  THE 


HEADQUARTERS  IN   NEW  YORK. 


OFFICER  OF  THE  SOCIETY, 

— :o: —       l^ocrott  Ubnwj 


Gen'l  JOHN  A.  SUTTER, 


Liliz.  Pa. 


Gen'l  H.  G.  GIBSON,  U.  8.  A. 

Fort  Wadsworth,  iV.  Y. 

JOHN  SICKELS, 

New  York  City. 

GEORGE  HOWES, 

New  York  City. 

JOHN  J.  HAGER, 

Rhinebeck,  N.  Y. 

Hon.  DEMAS  STRONG, 

Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

SAM'L  C.  UPHAM,  » 

Philadelphia,  Pa. 

GILMOR  MEREDITH, 

Baltimore,  Md. 

Qen'l  EDW.  F.  BEALE, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Hon.  ROBERT  H.  McKUNE, 

Scranton,  Pa. 

WM.  M.  WALTON, 

Newark,.N.  J. 


Gen.  THOS.  W.  SWEENY,  U.  S.  A.    Hon.  C.  LYDECKER.    EDW.  B.  ANTHONY. 
Gen.  THOS.  D.  JOHNS.  GEO.  F.  SNIFFEN.       E.  W.  CROWELL. 

Col.  EDW.  F.  BURTON.  JAMES  A.  SPERRY.    WM.  C.  ANNAN. 


FRANCIS  D.  CLARK. 


Hon.  JEREMIAH  SHERWOOD. 


ADDRESS  OF  WELCOME : 

Delivered  by  General  H.  G.  Gibson,  U.  S.  A.,  to  General  John 
C.  Fremont,  Governor  of  Arizona  Territory,  upon  the  occasion 
of  his  Reception  by  "The  Associated  Pioneers  of  the  Territorial 
Days  of  California,"  at  the  Sturtevant  House,  New  York,  on 
Thursday  evening,  August  ist,  1878.  Bancroft  Library 


FELLOW  CALIFORNIANS  : — 

IN  the  absence  of  our  grand  old  Patriarch  and  beloved/ellow 
Pioneer  and  President,  the  duty  devolves  upon  me  of  welcoming 
"our  distinguished  guest.  I  regret  that  he  is  not  here  to-night 
to  express,  though  only  in  his  tremulous  and  embarrassed 
utterances,  the  same  cordial  greeting  which  he  gave  to  his 
worthy  compeer  and  compadre  on  the  banks  of  the  Sacramento 
thirty-four  years  ago.  Though  his  speech  might  have  been 
only  silver,  the  welcome  of  his  heart  would  have  been  golden. 

We  have  met  this  evening  to  do  honor  to  an  eminent 
citizen  of  the  Republic  and  a  renowned  pioneer,  who,  as 
the  great  Pathfinder  of  Empire,  first  disclosed  to  the  nation 
a  knowledge  of  the  rich  and  attractive  country  bordering  the 
Pacific,  and  whose  name  will,  through  all  coming  time,  be 
identified  with  the  exploration  of  a  continent,  and  with  the 
American  occupation  and  development  of  the  Golden  Land. 
Traversing  with  his  little  band  the  trackless  wastes,  forbidding 


mountains,  and  dense  forests,  lying  between  the  mighty  Father 
of  Waters  and  that  magnificent  region  whose 

"  snow-sierras  liido 

Huge  crystalled  rocks  of  virgin  gold, 

Adown  abrading  torrents  rolled, 

In  lucid  streams,  by  summer  shoaled, 

A  golden  tide ;  " 

the  youthful  explorer  in  his  first  enterprise  determined  the 
physical  geography  of  a  vast,  unknown  territory,  and  contributed 
to  science  the  wealth  of  his  felicitous  and  valuable  discoveries. 
Wending  his  way  a  second  time  to  the  then  foreign  provinces  of 
the  Californias,  he  inspired  and  aided  the  raising  of  the  standard 
of  revolt  against  the  rule  of  the  Mexican — on  the  oak-orchard 
plain  of  Sonoma,  and  thus  made  the  initiatory  step  which  led 
to  the  acquisition — consummated  by  the  war  with  Mexico,  of 
that  beautiful  and  opulent  domain,  and  which  FREMONT  and 
destiny  had  determined  should  be  ours  thenceforth  and  forever. 
Discovering,  also,  in  his  first  expedition,  a  practicable  route  by 
the  eastern  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  from  the  valley  of  the 
Sacramento  to  the  grand  forest-crowned  region  "  along  the  lone 
Columbia,"  his  foot-prints  became  the  unerring  guide  to  all 
who  followed  after.  For  as  to  the  fidelity  and  accuracy  of  his 
descriptions  and  observations,  as  he  spied  out  the  land,  your 
chairman  can  testify  from  personal  experience;  that  the 
itinerary  ©f each  day's  journey,  as  we  pursued  the  rough  tenor 
of  our  way  through  the  vast  wilderness  of  lava  bed,  forest, 
plain,  mountain  and  canon — through  ';  a  land  of  fracture, 
violence,  and  fire  " — was  pictured  on  the  mental  vision  before 
as  clearly  defined  as  the  actual  vision  beheld  it  thereafter.  A 
portion  of  the  country  traversed  by  FREMONT  had  been  im 
perfectly  explored  by  the  previous  expeditions  of  Lewis,  Clark, 
and  Long,  as  well  as  by  Bonneville,  whose  crude  narrative, 
enriched  and  embellished  by  the  graceful  pen  of  Washington 
Irving,  charmed  our  childhood,  and  yet  delights  our  mature 
years.  These  gave,  however,  but  a  faint  idea  of  its  magnifi 
cent  character,  and  it  remained  for  FREMONT  to  impart  to  us  a 
full  knowledge  of  its  grand  and  peculiar  features,  its  wonderful 
beauties  and  resources. 

For  his  great  and  distinguished  service  to  the  State,  the 
Government  at  Washington  awarded  him  promotion  in  the 
army,  and  the  new-born  Golden  State  of  California  a  seat  in 
the  Senate  of  the  United  States.  In  later  years,  bearing  the 


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standard  of  a  great  political  party,  he  with  knightly  courage, 
courtesy,  and  modesty,  led  it  nigh  unto  victory,  and  opened 
the  path  to  its  subsequent  success;  and,  at  a  critical  period  of 
its  fortunes,  contributed  to  its  overwhelming  triumph  and 
continuance  of  power,  by  his  graceful  and  opportune  retire 
ment  from  the  field  as  the  nominee — a  second  time — for  the 
Presidency  of  a  great  convention  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

In  his  military  career  as  an  officer  of  engineers,  he  displayed 
rare  ability  and  remarkable  fertility  of  resources  and  expedients ; 
and  as  a  field  officer  of  the  line,  added  to  his  fame  by  the  joint 
conquest  with  the  gallant  Stockton,  of  the  territory  of  the 
Californias ;  and  how  far  the  crimes  and  blunders  at  Washington 
affected  his  usefulness,  success  and  renown,  as  a  leader  and 
commander  of  our  armies  in  the  late  civil  war,  as  of  other  true 
and  loyal  soldiers  who  bore  the  heat  and  burden  of  the  day,  and 
stood  among  their  fellows  high  in  reputation  for  wisdom  and 
honor,  impartial  history  must  determine.  It  suffices  us, 
however,  to  know  that  his  services  came  fully  up  to  the  official 
standard  of  "  gallant,  faithful  and  meritorius."  But  as  an 
explorer,  his  name  must  ever  be  classed  with  those  noble 
and  illustrious  names  on  that  brilliant  scroll  which  embraces 
Marco  Polo  and  de  Soto,  Mungo  Park  and  Livingstone ;  with 
those  who  "  in  journeyings  often,  in  perils  of  waters,  in  perils  of 
robbers,  in  perils  by  the  heathen,  in  perils  in  the  wilderness.;  in 
weariness  and  painfulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger  and 
thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness,"  have  exposed 
or  sacrificed  their  lives  in  the  cause  of  science  and  humanity ; 
and  whose  marvellous  sagacity,  indomitable  courage,  patience 
and  fortitude,  have  reflected  glory  on  our  race. 

But  the  full  measure  of  reward  for  his  brilliant,  and  eminent 
services  whose 

"  records  half-effaced, 
Which  with  the  hand  of  youth  he  traced 
On  history's  page," 

has  never  been  conceded  nor  bestowed.  It  is  an  inherent,  and 
perhaps,  ineradicable  vice  of  all  republics  that  their  great 
benefactors  and  heroes  are  seldom  duly  honored  or  rewarded 
while  living — soon  neglected  or  forgotten  when  dead  ;  and  our 
own  Republic  can  claim  no  immunity  from  the  vice.  That  it  may 
cease  to  be  its  reproach  and  shame  should  be  the  fervent  prayer 
of  every  true  patriot;  and  that  when  we  have  done  with  honoring 


with  "  storied  urn  and  animated  bust "  the  genius  and  heroism 
of  antiquity  and  of  other  lands,  we  may  find  time  and  means  to 
demonstrate  to  the  world  that  there  are  those  of  our  own  land 
who  have  "won  a  mural  crown  of  towering  glory."  May  the 
time  yet  come  when  as  the  golden  orb  of  day  sinks  to  his  rest  in 
the  bosom  of  the  mighty  ocean  beyond  the  portals  of  the  Golden 
Gate,  his  parting  rays  shall  shed  their  golden  light  on  its 
pinnacles,  whereon  shall  stand  the  sculptured  forms  of  FREMONT 
and  SUTTER,  with  the  inscription  on  the  one,  "  The  path  he  trod 
was  the  Path  to  Empire;"  and  on  the  other,  "The  golden 
heart  that  enriched  the  Golden  Land !  " 

General  FREMONT,  you  are  about  to  depart  for  the  vicinity 
of  the  scenes  of  your  former  labors  and  signal  deeds,  and  we 
come  as  fellow  Pioneers  and  Californians,  to  offer  to  you  our 
earnest  congratulations  and  cordial  good  wishes.  May  health 
and  happiness  attend  you,  and  in  your  new  field  of  employment, 
may  you  ever  enjoy  the  approving  smiles  and  favor  of  a  grateful, 
appreciative  people.  As  your  youth  was  adorned  with  fame, 
may  your  age  be  crowned  with  glory  and  honor.  For  myself, 
in  the  remembrance  of  a  pleasant  journey  together  in  years  gone 
by,  through  the  beautiful  valley  of  the  San  Joaquin,  "  on  fields 
with  dasies  pied,"  and  "gorgeous  .flowerets  in  the  sunlight 
shining,"  through  arid  waste  and  cooling  mountain  grove — in 
the  remembrance  of  a  kindness  done,  but  as  soon  forgotten  by 
you,  I  tender  to  you  the  kindliest  greeting  and  most  earnest 
prayer  that  heart  can  feel,  or  voice  or  hand  express. 


ADMISSION  DAY,  1877. 


Extract  from  the  Address  of  Welcome,  delivered  by  Gen  I  H.  G. 
Gibson,  U.  S.  A.,  at  Long  Branch,  N.  /.,  September  8,  1877. 


Twenty-seven  years  ago  "  the  morrow  morn,"  after  a  long 
and  bitter  political  contest  in  the  Halls  of  Congress,  the  State 
which  the  Pioneers  of  California  had  founded  and  organized 
became  "  a  bright  particular  star " — wedded  to  the  Union. 
The  Treaty  of  Guadalupe  Hidalgo  terminating  the  war  with 
Mexico  had  extended  our  dominion  on  the  remote  Pacific 
over  a  vast  region  to  the  south  of 

"  the  continuous  woods 
Where  rolls  the  Oregon  and  hears  no  sound 
Save  its  own  lashings"— 

to  us  and  the  world  at  large  a  terra  incognita.  Beyond  a 
narrow  fringe  of  settlements — missions  and  presidios — on  its 
line  of  coast  from  Cape  Mendocino  to  Cape  San  Lucas  but 
little  was  known  of  the  geography,  character  and  resources  of 
the  territory  of  the  Californias.  To  the  commerce  of  the 
world  it  was  but  a  land  of  hides  and  tallow.  The  expeditions 
of  the  renowned  Pioneer  and  Path-finder,  JOHN  C.  FREMONT, 
opened  to  our  people  and  to  the  world  a  knowledge  of  its 
beauty,  fertility  and  wealth.  Though  the  mighty  river  rising 
in  the  great  Cordillerian  chain,  and  cleaving  in  its  course  to 
the  ocean,  the  majestic  Sierras  that  shut  out  California  from 
the  rest  of  the  continent,  and  which  the  explorer's  glowing 
fancy  fondly  pictured  as  freighted  in  the  future  with  the 
argosies  of  a  rich  commerce — was  never  found  ;  yet  from  the 
summit  of  the  Sierras  the  proud  Pioneer  gazed  upon  a  region 
which,  although  in  its  native  primeval  wilderness,  gave  a 
glorious  promise  of  future  opulence  and  greatness.  Distance 
had  not  lent  enchantment  to  the  view,  for  on  nearer  approach 
it  was  found  to  be  a  land  of  wondrous  fertility  and  surpassing 
loveliness. 


•  •»- 

t 


I 


MEMBERS  OF  THE  SOCIETY. 


TERRITORIAL. 


1833. 

JACOB  P.  LEESE. 

183O. 

Gen.  JOHN  A.  SUTTER. 

184,3. 

Gen.  JOHN  C.  FREMONT. 

184,6. 

Hon.  RODMAN  M.  PRICE. 
Gen.  EDW.  F.  BE  ALE. 
Gen.  JOSEPH  W.  REVERE. 
WILLIAM  COLLIGAN. 
JOHN  DOLMAN. 
EDWARD  C.  KEMBLE. 
Dr.  GEO.  McKINSTRY. 

184,  7. 

FRANCIS  D.  CLARK. 
JOSEPH  EVANS. 
RUSSELL  MYERS. 
CHARLES  J.  McPHERSON. 
JAMES  E.  NUTTMAN. 
WILLIAM  H.  ROGERS. 
Judge  THERON  R.  PER  LEE. 
Hon.  JEREMIAH  SHERWOOD. 
JOHN  WOLFE. 

184,8. 
Hon.  JAMES  S.  WETHERED. 

184,0. 

WM.  C.  ANNAN. 
EDW.  R.  ANTHONY. 
Col.  EDW.  F.  BURTON. 
RUSSELL  W.  BENEDICT. 
MARK  BRUMAG1M. 
STEPHEN  M.  BARBOUR. 
E.  W'.  CROWELL. 
DAVID  M.  CHAUNCEY. 
HENRY  K.  CUMMINGS. 
ROBERT  W.  DOWLING. 
JOHN  S.  ELLIS. 
WILLARD  B.  FARWELL. 
JOHN  H.  FISHER. 


1853. 

JAMES  H.  BUTLER. 
CHARLES  W.  SCHUMANN. 
Ca'pt.  JAMES  H.  MERRYMAN. 

1853. 

Hon.  C.  K.  GARRISON. 
WILLIAM  R.  GARRISON. 


184,9. 


JOHN  GAULT. 

Gen.  H.  G.  GIBSON,  U.S.A. 

A.  T.  GOODELL. 

R.  R.  GRIFFITH,  Ja. 

Gen.  JOSEPH  HOOKER,  U.S.A. 

H.  B.  HAWKINS. 

JOHN  J.  IIAGER. 

JOHN  H.  HARRIS. 

JOHN  G.  HODGE. 

JOSEPH  B.  HILL. 

GEORGE  H.  JOHNSON. 

BENJ.  W.  JENNESS. 

JOHN  LAIMBEER. 

Hon.  CORNELIUS  LYDECKER. 

Hon.  ROBT.  H.  McKUNE. 

GILMOR  MEREDITH. 

Com'r  RICHARD.  W.  MEADE,  U.S.N. 

JAMES  J.  McCLOSKEY. 

Gen.  FRANCIS  E.  PINTO. 

OLIVER  H.  PIERSON. 

JOSEPH  M.  PRAY. 

SILAS  H.  QUINT. 

JOHN  SICKELS. 

JOSEPH  S.  SPINNEY. 

A.  A.  SELOVER. 

GEO.  F.  SNIFFEN. 

JAMES  A.  SPERRY. 

Gen.  THOS.  W.  SWEENY,  U.S.A. 

Hon.  DEMAS  STRONG. 

ROBERT  J.  TIFFANY. 

SAMUEL  C.  UPHAM. 

WM.  M.  WALTON. 

185O. 

Gen.  JAMES  F.  CURTIS. 
GEORGE  HOWES. 
C.  C.  HASTINGS. 
Gen.  THOMAS  D.  JOHNS. 
Gen.  CHARLES  S.  MERCHANT. 
STEPHEN  L.  MERCHANT. 
BEVERLY  C.  SANDERS. 
Capt.  JOSEPH  SPINNEY. 
CHARLES  R.  THOMPSON. 


STATE 


185O. 


GEORGE  W.  GILBERT. 
LEWIS  LELAND. 

Honorary. 

REUBEN  LORD. 
EFFINGHAM  B.  SUTTON. 


